Croquet apparatus.



No. 810,853. PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

G. W. GRI SWOLD.

GROQUET APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN.10, 1905.

A Gearga W army/024g nventor,

Hctomegs.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WM. GRISWOLD, OF MANOMET, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD GAME AND TOY COMPANY, OF TAUNTON, MASSACHU- SETTS.

CROQUET APPARATUS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1906.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WM. GRIs- WOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manomet, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Croquet Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to croquet apparatus.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted for playing a variety of games and in which a somewhat higher degree of skill will be requisite in the successful playing of certain of the games than is necessary with the ordinary game of croquet.

With the above andother objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel croquet apparatus hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, there are illustrated five forms of embodiment of the invention, each capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view, somewhat in the nature of a diagram, exhibiting the arrangement of the wickets, balks, and starting-posts and also the path to be traversed by the balls in playing one of the games. Fig. 2 is a detached detail view of aslightlymodified form of wicket and balk. Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a View in elevation, exhibiting a wicket having combined therewith a different form of balk from that shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view of a part of the apparatus. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing a different form of post from that shown in Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention asshown in- Fig. 1 six wickets 1 are employed, each a counterpart of the other, and with each of which is combined a swinging support or rod 2, carrying at its lower end a suitable balk 3 and at its upper end a flag 4, the balk being of sufficient weight to cause the supports normally to maintain a vertical position. The wicket is, as usual, an inverted U in shape and is provided at its crest with a V bend or depression 5 to be engaged by a loop or eye 6, formed by bending the support upon itself, the members of the loop being spaced apart to permit the loop to be combined with the bend of the wicket. Each balk bears a mark indicative of the value of the play to be made,in this instance T and W, or any other mark may be selected that would be appropriate, or, if preferred, the value of the balk may be determined by the rules, and any indicative mark may be omitted. In addition to the wickets there is provided a center-post 7, which is surmounted by a staff carrying a flag 8, the post being preferably square in cross-section, although it may be of any other desired contour and bears on one or more of its faces the capital letter I. There are also two starting-posts 9 and 10 employed, which, as usual, are arranged opposite each other, and, as shown in Fig. 1, the wickets are so arranged as to cause an angle of each balk to project toward the posts.

Instead of having the support combined with the wicket in the manner shown in Fig. 1 it may be rigidly secured to the crest thereof, as shown at 11 in Fig. 2, and its lower end may be provided with an eye or hook 12 to be engaged by a loop 13, carried by the balk,

or, if preferred, an arm 14 may be rigidly connected with one of the side members of the wicket intermediate of its ends, as shown in Fig. 3, and from this the support 2 will be suspended by having its eye 6 engage a hook 15 on the end of the arm 14, or, as shown in Fig. 4, a supplemental inverted- L-shaped arm 16 may be provided, the longer member of which will be driven into the ground adjacent to the wicket, and the shorter member will be provided with a hook 17 to be engaged by a loop 18 of a support 19.

Instead of having the support formed with a loop 6 to engage the bend of the'wicket it may be provided with a hook 20, as shown in Fig. 6, which is formed by bending the wire of the support to the shape shown.

In all of the arrangements shown of combining the balks with the wickets the former are adapted to have not only a swinging movement at right angles to the legs of the Wicket, but also in a line transversely thereof and also in an orbital path, by which arrangement the balks will not prevent the balls from passing through the wickets, but unless properly struck will operate to shunt them from the predetermined path.

The apparatus thus far described is designed to play a game known as croquet wit, it being seen that if the balls are shot as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 the word wit will be successively spel ed. In addition to the game of croquet wit the game of flag croquet may be played, which will necessitate merely the provision of an additional set of supports 21, as shown in Fig. 5, these supports being provided with balls 22 instead of cubes, and each ball will bear a number, such as 5, as shown. In lieu of the poly onal post 7, as shown in Fig. 1, a circular post 23- shown in Fig. 7) may be employed, which will bear an appropriate number, such as 15. As the arrangement of the wickets in playing the last-named game will be the same as that first described, detailed illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary. As will be obvious, if it be desired to play the ordinary game of croquet the supports and balks will be removed, as will be readily understood, and three additional wickets, which will be supplied with the game, will be properly positioned.

In playing the game of croquet Wit the player may roll either to the right or left from the starting-post 9, as may be preferred, the object being to hit the first balk, marked W, then the center post marked I, and then the balk marked T, thereby spelling the word wit. In working from right to left in this way the player will pass through the game four times, bringing him back to the starting-point. The object of the game is to spell the name Wit the greatest number of times in playing the game. If in play ing the game the ball passes through the wicket without hitting the balk, the player loses, as he must be skilful enough to hit the balk, as he cannot have a second shot afteronce passing through the wicket. The game of flag croquet is played substantially in the same manner, each balk struck counting five or any number that may be agreed upon and each post fifteen or any number agreed upon. If a player misses a wicket or a post, he loses his turn.

While the apparatus is herein shown as adapted for playing lawn games, it is to be understood that it may be adapted for indoor purposes, as for playing upon a table, and as this is common and well known detailed illustration of such adaptation is omitte Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is Y 1. A croquet apparatus embodying a plurality of wickets, swinging balks combined therewith and bearing letters or symbols, and a post bearing a letter or symbol forming in conjunction with those on the balks, a word.

2. A croquet apparatus embodying a plurality of wickets, swinging balks detachably combined therewith and bearing letters or symbols, and a post bearing a letter or symbol forming in conjunction with those on the balks, a word. 7

'3. A croquet apparatus embodying a plurality of wickets, swinging balks combined therewith and bearing letters or symbols, and a polygonal post bearing a letter or symbol forming in conjunction with those on the balks, a word.

4. A croquet apparatus embodying a wicket and a balk having a support provided with means to connect it with the wicket for universal swinging movements.

5. In a croquet apparatus, a wicket, a support provided with means to connect it with the wicket for universal swinging movements and carrying at its upper end a flag and at its lower end a balk.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEO. WM. GRISWOLD.

Witnesses:

HERBERT MoRIssEY, FLORENCE GRIswoLD. 

